Types of Scholarships

The right scholarship can set a college-bound student on the road to success. Scholarships provide much needed financial aid, as well as a certain degree of prestige, for the student honoree. It is a common misconception that scholarships are only available to students with the highest GPA or the most impressive sports record. There are scholarships out there for all types of students. The secret is to know what kind of scholarships are available, and where to look for them.

Let’s take a moment to consider the different types of scholarships that are available to the right college-bound student.

Academic Scholarships

Academic Scholarships, one of a number of high profile merit scholarships, are awarded to students who have demonstrated an outstanding history of academic achievement. These scholarships are awarded to students with the most exceptional GPA, most impressive series of extracurricular activities and a history of public service.

Academic Scholarships typically have substantial financial payouts, and confer a certain level of prestige on the recipient. They can also be beneficial after college as an introduction into the business world, and as a way of making a solid resume even more attractive.

Average Academic Performance Scholarships

Top level academic scholarships may seem out of reach, but that doesn’t mean their aren’t scholarship opportunities available to the average hard-working high school student. Not by a long chalk. Average Student Scholarships do take a students academic record into consideration, but they also give weight to a student’s community service, leadership qualities and the strength of their test scores and contest essays. Average Academic Performance Scholarships also look at a student’s other school activities such as sports, art and music.

Don’t make the mistake of believing that just because your high school GPA isn’t a 4.0 that you won’t be eligible for a scholarship to help you pay for college.

Creative Scholarships

The Arts are a large part of modern life in America, and while they not be as highly visible there are still plenty of creative scholarship opportunities available for the artistically inclined student. These scholarships are highly competitive, and applying students have to present samples of their artwork to be considered.

Unusual Scholarships

Unusual scholarships can run the gamut from the frivolous to the merely unexpected. They may be sponsored to needy and bright students which are not able to continue their studies due to poor financial background. The scholarships are given to needy students, which are willing to deliver results. These students have to fill scholarship form with their previous results to the college office with the admission form.

Community Service Scholarships

Community Service Scholarships are a wonderful reward for those students who love to give back to their communities. If you are a student with a history of community involvement and civic accomplishments then a scholarship in this vein may be perfect for you. There are also Federal Work Study programs that award a percentage of their funding to students involved in community service. These scholarships may have awards in smaller amounts, but everything counts when finding the money to go to college.

Regardless of the type of scholarships you pursue, know that there is something out there for everyone. To learn more about the many scholarship opportunities that may be open to you. No matter what your grades or your interests are, regardless of your background, you can find the money to pay for college with a bit of effort.